Wringer assembly

ABSTRACT

A wringer assembly for mounting on a bucket, including a housing having an end wall and a moveable wringing member in the housing, where the wringing member has a wringing surface facing the end wall. A lever mechanism moves the wringing member in the housing between a first position in which the wringing surface is maximally spaced from the end wall to provide a space between the wringing surface and the end wall, and a second position in which the wringing surface is spaced closer to the end wall. The wringing member has a first mounting formation which is releasably co-operable with a second corresponding mounting formation of an adaptor to mount the adaptor to the wringing surface for movement with the wringing member. The adaptor may include a pad of resilient material and the end wall includes at least one opening for liquid to pass from the wringer housing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a wringer assembly of the kind which is in use mounted on a bucket, which wringer assembly is used for wringing floor mops, primarily but not exclusively, of the kind which have a depending mop head of mop material.

Wringer assemblies are known which include a single wringing member in a housing. The wringing member has a wringing surface and the member is manually moveable through a lever mechanism, between a first position in which the wringing surface is maximally spaced from a corresponding surface provided by an end wall of the housing, and a second position in which the wringing surface is spaced closer to the end wall, a mop in a space between the wringing surface and the end wall, being wrung between the wringing surface and the end wall.

Known such wringing assemblies are typically sized for a particular size or range of sizes of mops. If a smaller mop than that for which the wringing assembly was designed is wrung out, because the wringing member has to be moved closer to the end wall to effect pressure on the mop material, the mechanical advantage provided by the lever mechanism is at least partially lost, resulting in inefficient wringing.

It is known to place in the housing, adjacent the end wall, a pad of resilient material, to reduce the space. However typically the end wall will include openings to allow the drainage of liquid wrung out from the mop, from the wringer assembly housing, and placing the pad over such openings obscures such openings, making drainage, and hence wringing less efficient.

Also, the wringing member typically includes a floor part which extends from the wringing surface and provides a bottom surface for the wringer, the floor part moving with the wringing surface, beneath the end wall. The wringing member is typically mounted for a rotational movement, and so a gap between the floor part and a foot end of the end wall, tends to increase in size as the wringing member moves towards the second position.

A pad, such as a resilient pad, which is placed adjacent the end wall, so that the floor surface moves differentially, can be drawn into such gap as the lever mechanism is operated, as can mop head material, which would at least partially impede the proper operation of the wringer assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, a wringer assembly is provided for mounting on a bucket. The assembly may include a housing having an end wall, with there being a moveable wringing member in the housing. The wringing member may have a wringing surface which faces the end wall, with there being a lever mechanism for moving the wringing member in the housing between a first position in which the wringing surface is maximally spaced from the end wall to provide a space between the wringing surface and the end wall for a mop to be wrung, and a second position in which the wringing surface is spaced closer to the end wall. The wringing member may have a first mounting formation which is releasably co-operable with a second corresponding mounting formation of an adaptor to mount the adaptor to the wringing surface for movement with the wringing member. The adaptor may include a pad of resilient material, and the end wall including at least one opening for liquid to pass from the wringer housing.

With the adaptor mounted to the wringing member, the distance between the end wall and the adaptor pad when the wringing member is in the first position, is less than the distance between the wringing surface and the end wall, so that the space is reduced and smaller mops can be wrung out by a smaller wringing member movement, with greater force being applied through the lever mechanism, between the adaptor and the end wall, and the adaptor may be removed to permit larger mops to be received in the space between the wringing surface and the end wall.

Because the adaptor is mounted to the wringing surface and not the end wall, the drainage openings in the end wall are unobscured by the adaptor. Also, where the wringing member includes a floor part which extends from the wringing surface and moves beneath the end wall to provide a bottom surface for the wringer assembly, because the adaptor is in use mounted on the wringing surface to move with the wringing surface towards the end wall during wringing, the adaptor cannot be drawn into any gap between the floor part and the end wall as the wringing member moves.

The adaptor, as well as including a resilient pad, may include a backing part to which the resilient pad is connected, and the backing part may provide the first mounting formation, or preferably a plurality of mounting formations.

In one example the adaptor includes a first set of second mounting formations which are tabs which engage in corresponding first formation tab openings of the wringing member, and a second set of second mounting formations being one or more hooks which engage with corresponding first mounting formations of the wringing member, the first and second mounting formations engaging as the adaptor is lowered into the housing.

Preferably on the exterior of the housing there is provided at least one stowage mounting formation corresponding to the first mounting formation of the wringing member so that when the adaptor is not in use, the adaptor may be stowed by engaging a second mounting formation of the adaptor with the stowage mounting formation.

Where the wringer assembly includes a floor part, this may extend laterally from the wringing surface, and may have a generally curved configuration to minimise the gap between the floor part and the end wall during wringing member movement. In a preferred embodiment the wringer assembly includes an insert which is located on the floor part, the insert being generally wedge shaped with a minimum thickness end of the wedge facing the end wall when the wringing member is in its first position.

The wringer assembly may have retaining devices releasably to retain the wringer assembly to the bucket on which it is mounted, and at least a part of the wringer assembly housing may be received within the bucket, in which case the wringer assembly may have engagement formations for engagement with corresponding engagement formations of the bucket.

According to a second aspect of the invention we provide in combination, a wringer assembly according to the first aspect of the invention, and a bucket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of a bucket and wringer assembly combination.

FIG. 2 is view similar to that shown in FIG. 1 but showing the combination assembled.

FIG. 3 is an illustrative side view of a modified wringing member of the wringer assembly of the combination of FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a wringer assembly 10 includes a housing 11 which is provided by a pair of side walls 12, 14 and an end wall 15. A lower portion 13 of the housing 11 is in use, received within a bucket 16 and engagement formations 17 at a lower end of the wringer assembly 10 engage with corresponding engagement formations 19 of the bucket 16. Moreover the wringing assembly 10 includes at least a pair of retaining devices 18 in the form of latches, which engage with corresponding formations 18 a of the exterior of the bucket 16, so that the wringer assembly 10 may be releasable retained mounted on the bucket 16.

The wringer assembly 10 further includes a wringing member 20 which includes a wringing surface 21, a floor part 22 and a support structure 23. The wringing member 20 is mounted in the housing 11 for a rotational movement between a first position (as in FIG. 2) in which the wringing surface 21 of the wringing member 20 is maximally spaced from the end wall 15 to provide a space 25 between the wringing surface 21 and the end wall 15 for a mop to be wrung, and a second position in which the wringing surface 21 is spaced closer to the end wall 15, to wring the mop between the wringing surface 21 and the end wall 15.

Such movement of the wringing member 20 is effected through a lever mechanism, upon manual operation (in this example) of a handle 26. The handle 26 includes an axle 29 which is journalled in the housing side walls 12, 14, and attached to the axle 29 are a pair of lever plates 30 a, 30 b to which are pivotally connected the limbs 32 a, 32 b of an actuation member 33 which acts on the wringing member 20 with mechanical advantage as the axle 29 rotates. The handle 26 movement is resisted by a spring 35 which tends to urge the handle 26 such as to return the wringing member 20 to its first position. The handle 26 includes a manually graspable part 36 (and foam cover 36 a) which is transverse to the axle 29 and extends to the side of the housing 11 so that the wringing mechanism can conveniently be operated from in front of the bucket 16.

During rotational movement of the wringing member 20, the floor part 22 of the member 20 passes beneath a foot 15 a of the end wall 15. Notwithstanding that the floor part 22 of the wringing member 20 is of curved configuration, a gap will open up between the floor part 22 and the foot 15 a of the end wall 15 as the wringing member 20 moves towards the end wall 15.

In accordance with the invention, an adaptor 40 is provided. The adaptor 40 in this example includes a backing part 41 and a resilient pad 42, which are connected together. Typically the pad 42 will be adhered to the backing part 41 but they may otherwise be connected. The backing part 41 is in this example a generally rectangular plate, with a lower rectangle side 44 provided with a pair of tabs 45 which provide a first set of second mounting formations. These tabs 45 are received in corresponding first mounting formations provided by openings 46 in the wringing member 20, in this example provided adjacent where the wringing surface 21 and floor part 22 meet.

The backing member 41 further includes a second set of second mounting formations 48 which are hooks on the rear of the backing member 41. The hooks 48 hook over corresponding mounting formations 50 provided in the wringing surface 21. The respective tabs 45 and hooks 48 co-operate with the respective first mounting formations 46, 50 as the adaptor 40 is lowered into the housing 11, to mount the adaptor 40 to the wringing surface 21.

The respective first and second mounting formations 46, 50 and 45, 48 thus releasably cooperate so that the adaptor 40 can be mounted in or removed from the housing 11 as required.

In a typical prior art wringer assembly 10, the end wall 15 is provided with a plurality of drainage openings 55 so that when a mop is wrung out as the wringing member 20 moves from its first to its second position, water can escape from the housing 11 into the bucket 16. The floor part 22 of the wringing member 20 may also be provided with drainage openings as shown. The wringing surface 21 of a typical wringer assembly 10 (which does not have the adaptor 40 as described) may not have drainage openings provided in the wringing surface 21, as indicated in the figures.

By providing an adaptor 40 which is mountable to the wringing surface 21 as described, the openings 55 of the end wall 15 are unobscured by the adaptor 40, and thus the inclusion of the adaptor 40 does not detrimentally affect drainage from the housing 11 which can detract from wringing efficiency.

However with the adaptor 40 in place mounted to the wringing surface 21, smaller mops than those which the housing 11 can accommodate when the adaptor 40 is not present, can more efficiently be wrung out.

If desired, the adaptor 40, that is the resilient pad 42 and the backing part 41 may have drainage openings, but these are inessential to the efficient drainage of liquid wrung out by the wringing assembly 10.

When the adaptor 40 is not in use, this may be stowed by engaging the hooks 48 with corresponding stowage mounting formations provided on the exterior of the housing 11 (the positions of these are indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 1 only) at 49.

In another example, instead of there being multiple first 46, 50 and second 45, 48 mounting formations for mounting the adaptor 40 in the housing 11 (and or externally of the housing 11 for stowage), a single first and second mounting formation e.g. a hook 48 or the like may be sufficient to mount the adaptor 40.

The configurations of the lever mechanism and the wringing member 20 and of the housing 11 are purely exemplary and as will be understood by those skilled in the art, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

In another embodiment, the wringer mechanism 10 need not have releasable retaining latches 18 and so may not be releasably retained on the bucket 16. The configuration of bucket 16 illustrated is purely exemplary. The bucket 16 may have a quite different configuration, for example the bucket 16 need not have a wheeled carriage 51 as shown.

In the example, the assembly 10 includes a dosing container 60 by means of which a correct amount of detergent or other concentrated cleaning fluid may be added to a known volume of water in the bucket 16. In another example, such dosing container 60 need not be provided.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown illustratively a side view of the wringing member 20. In this example it can be seen that secured to the floor part 22 there is a generally wedge-shaped insert 60, with a minimum thickness end 62 of the wedge, facing away from the wringing surface 21, i.e. in use, towards the end wall 15 of the housing 11. This insert 60 is provided to maintain a minimum gap between the foot 15 a of the end wall 15, and the moving wringing member 20, to minimise the risk of mop material of a mop being wrung, being drawn into the gap and thus impairing wringing efficiency.

Having now fully described the present invention in some detail by way of illustration and examples for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the same can be performed by modifying or changing the invention within a wide and equivalent range of conditions and other parameters without resort to undue experimentation without affecting the scope of the invention or any specific embodiment thereof, and that such modifications or changes are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the appended claims. All art-known functional equivalents, of any such materials and methods are intended to be included in this invention. The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention that in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed. Thus, it should be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

As used herein, “comprising” is synonymous with “including,” “containing,” or “characterized by,” and is inclusive or open-ended and does not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. As used herein, “consisting of” excludes any element, step, or ingredient not specified in the claim element. As used herein, “consisting essentially of” does not exclude materials or steps that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the claim. In each instance herein any of the terms “comprising”, “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of” may be replaced with either of the other two terms. 

1. A wringer assembly for mounting on a bucket, the assembly including a housing having an end wall, and there being a moveable wringing member in the housing, the wringing member having a wringing surface which faces the end wall, and there being a lever mechanism for moving the wringing member in the housing between a first position in which the wringing surface is maximally spaced from the end wall to provide a space between the wringing surface and the end wall for a mop to be wrung, and a second position in which the wringing surface is spaced closer to the end wall, the wringing member having a first mounting formation which is releasably co-operable with a second corresponding mounting formation of an adaptor to mount the adaptor to the wringing surface for movement with the wringing member, the adaptor including a pad of resilient material, and the end wall including at least one opening for liquid to pass from the wringer housing.
 2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the adaptor comprises a resilient pad and a backing part to which the resilient pad is connected, the backing part providing at least one first mounting formation.
 3. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the adaptor includes a first set of second mounting formations which engage with corresponding first formation of the wringing member, and a second set of second mounting formations which engage with corresponding first mounting formations of the wringing member, the first and second mounting formations engaging as the adaptor is lowered into the housing.
 4. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein the first set of second mounting formations are tabs receivably in tab openings of the wringing member.
 5. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein the second set of second mounting formations including one or more hooks.
 6. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein on the exterior of the housing there is provided at least one stowage mounting formation corresponding to the first mounting formation of the wringing member so that when the adaptor is not in use, the adaptor may be stowed by engaging a second mounting formation of the adaptor with the stowage mounting formation.
 7. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the wringer assembly includes a floor part, which extends laterally from the wringing surface and has a generally curved configuration, the wringer assembly including an insert which is located on the floor part, the insert being generally wedge shaped with a minimum thickness end of the wedge facing the end wall when the wringing member is in its first position.
 8. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the wringer assembly has retaining devices releasably to retain the wringer assembly to the bucket on which it is mounted.
 9. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least a part of the wringer assembly housing is received within the bucket.
 10. An assembly according to claim 9 wherein the wringer assembly has engagement formations for engagement with corresponding engagement formations of the bucket.
 11. A combination of a bucket and a wringer assembly, the assembly including a housing having an end wall, and there being a moveable wringing member in the housing, the wringing member having a wringing surface which faces the end wall, and there being a lever mechanism for moving the wringing member in the housing between a first position in which the wringing surface is maximally spaced from the end wall to provide a space between the wringing surface and the end wall for a mop to be wrung, and a second position in which the wringing surface is spaced closer to the end wall, the wringing member having a first mounting formation which is releasably co-operable with a second corresponding mounting formation of an adaptor to mount the adaptor to the wringing surface for movement with the wringing member, the adaptor including a pad of resilient material, and the end wall including at least one opening for liquid to pass from the wringer housing. 